18.08.2018 – PIN code: 18-8-18-18:18-8

A bit grey, a bit wavy, a bit spray and a little bit of sunshine, that’s how the afternoon and evening turned to be out at sea. In the afternoon, we encountered Atlantic Spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), who first paid a visit to the bow wave of our Ribeira Brava and then went to Stenella. For our evening tour, there is a secret PIN code: 18-8-18-18: 18-8 … resolution is at the end of the blog! 🙂

Atlantic Spotted dolphins that’s clear, are only found in the Atlantic! Although all of the Induviduen are still named as Stenella frontalis in the entire area of distribution, there are indications that it could possibly be two geographically separate forms. Currently, only the distinction between the coastal population and the high seas species is recognized. Incidentally, the high seas population is usually smaller and a little less spotted and sometimes some have no spots at all. In the future, if there is a reformulation of the genus Stenella frontalis, the Atlantic spotted dolphins of the temperate North Atlantic could be recognized as their own species.

Resolution of the PIN code: On 18.8.2018 on our 18.00h trip we had at 18.18h around 8 Atlantic Spotted dolphins … later we met another small group of this species. And as you can see in the photos, a few animals were in jumping mood.

P.S. The sunset mood had a great charisma (photo taken from land, but should not be withheld).

By Fatima Kutzschbach

Sightings of the day

Ribeira Brava

10:00 Tropical whale, Risso dolphins

15:00 Atlantic Spotted dolphins

 Stenella

15:30 Atlantic Spotted dolphins

18:00 Atlantic Spotted dolphins